Authorities: Report of gunman at MIT was a hoax

Authorities in Massachusetts say a report of a gunman on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus was a hoax and that there is no threat to public safety.

Cambridge police said Saturday that officers searched for a man reported to be carrying a long rifle and wearing body armor and found nothing. A spokeswoman says the university also called off a campus-wide lockdown.

State police spokesman David Procopio says the report of a gunman turned out to be a hoax. He referred questions to Cambridge police, whose spokesman didn't respond to calls and emails seeking details.

About 11,000 people attend the prestigious school outside Boston where students are famous for their smarts as well as their stunts, including once putting a police car on top of a domed campus building.